A rivalry is building in between the Mets and Phillies for the first time since, well ever. Friday night set the tone for the top two candidates for the National League East‘s season long battle for dominance. Forget ESPN’s Red Sox-Yankees obsession; it’s stale, over-hyped and cliché; Mets-Phillies is Major League Baseball’s main event.

Game One

Johan did what Johan was brought in to Due on Friday night, pitching striking out 10 and giving up another solo shot to Chase Utley. Though he was charged with three homeruns, two came on after Santana left the game in the seventh after Heilman was brought in to deliver his trademark gasoline ball to a two on spark. I have Zero faith in Heilman. The stand out performance on offense was premature MVP candidate David Wright who went 4-4 with a triple, two doubles, a single and a walk. The heart-stopping moment was delivered on a stolen base attempt by Jose Reyes, sliding into Chase Utley’s knee. Though Reyes was shaken up momentarily; no significant injury was sustained. I really wish he would slide in feet first, but he’s not likely to change his stolen base technique even at this early stage of his career.

Game Two

On Saturday, the southern half of the country was deprived of another classic. Fox unwisely chose to broadcast the Dodgers Braves game to the south and southwest United States. A Fox spokesman released the statement, “Come on, it’s not like the Braves are on TV 150 times a season on a nationally broadcast basic cable channel. The Braves are America’s team in this the year 1995”

As I live in the area given sub par baseball on Fox’s game of the week, I was forced to listen to the game via the Phillies broadcast delivered by play by play man and Campbell’s Soup pitchman Harry Kalas who’s deep voice and monotone cadence lulls listeners to sleep and diverts any and all audience attention from actual game play.

I cannot, in good conscience give any insight into the plays of Saturday’s game, as I was blacked out of MLB TV coverage.

I was treated to Fox’s “Bonus Coverage” of the bottom of the eighth. The game is over and I still can’t believe Heilman struck out two with the bases loaded rather than, say, give up a grand slam on the first pitch of the first at bat of the hitter he faced. The inning was prolonged by misreads/terrible reactions by both Carlos Beltran and Angel Pagan. I still don’t trust Aaron Heilman any farther than I can throw him. And with my bad knee, I shouldn’t be throwing anyone.

Why can’t Fox broadcast the rest of the game in their stupid “Bonus Coverage?” What’s the point of showing only the eighth, not the ninth, getting the audience interested and then going to local news?

Howie Long: We now are going to take you to the Meadowlands where the Giants trail the Cowboys 20-18 with less than 30 seconds remaining:

Joe Buck: The Giants have the ball at the 49; they’re going to have to get to at least the 35 to get into Tynes’ FG range and call time out right away. This play right here will decide if the Giants will advance to the NFC playoffs.

Troy Aikman: It’s plays like this that really test a quarterbacks patience. Eli has to focus, take his time. He has 20 seconds left, but a sack or even an incomplete pass brings up forth down. The Giants need a big gain here.

Joe Buck: Eli drops back to pass, he’s got time, rolls right, HE’S GOT BOSS AT THE 31, THE GIANTS CALL TIME OUT AND BRING THE FIELD GOAL UNIT ON TO TRY FOR THE WIN!

VOICE OVER: This has been a presentation of the NFL on Fox, we now return you to our studio broadcast.

Jimmy Johnson: Whew-we, that was exciting! NFC Football at it’s finest. I wonder if Tynes will make the field goal. I guess we’ll never know.

Now on Fox Four News, what you don’t know about ice cream, may be fatal…

Wright and Reyes were the big contributors today, according to the box score, anyway. David may be at his peak as a hitter and the League should be scared.

This series doesn’t quite have a playoff feel, but it’s as close to October as imaginable in April and each month the calendar page turns, the pressure intensifies. This isn’t the familiar struggle against Atlanta; a city 850 miles away with an indifferent fan base. Philly is a train ride away, a rabid fan base and a team that took the east by a game in 2007. The Mets collapsed, but they own the title NL East Champs. Disregard that other New York team; it’s two relatively meaningless series’ nothing more than six regular season games. 2008 is Mets Phillies.

Mr. Met verses Philly Phanatic (a San Diego Chicken rip-off, but whatever)
Reyes versus Rollins,
Wright versus Howard,
El Duque versus Moyer (obligatory age reference),
Beltran versus Burrell.
Potent pitching staff versus pervasive power throughout the lineup

This is Us versus Them.

The Mets may have won the series, but make no mistake, the NL East is far from over.